Bonnie and Clyde
by Goth Albino Angel
Summary: Ryouko is having trouble finding where she belongs in the Misaki household after their return from the alternate universes. She's about ready to give up being part of the family at all, but perhaps someone unexpected reaching out to her will show Ryouko that Tenchi isn't the only reason she's family. Ryoshu. Canon-divergence. Tenchi Universe
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello, again, alligators. Just figured I'd bring this piece of goodness I've been thinking up for a while. Hope you enjoy it!_**

 ** _I do not own Tenchi Muyo_**.

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Ryouko stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought as the house bustled around her. Ayeka and Mihoshi were cleaning with cartoons on in the background, Tenchi was at school, Sasami was in the kitchen cooking with Ryo-Ohki, and Kiyone was helping Nobuyuki with his budget for next month. Washu was in her lab like usual and Katsuhito was up at the shrine. It was a regular day like any other, even if it was a little warm with summer being on its way.

There were some things that had changed among the group, though. For starters, Mihoshi was helping with chores because she often slept at the house whenever she and Kiyone visited, so her partner had reprimanded her and given her the chores as punishment for being so rude. Sasami had taken to calling Ryouko 'big sis' as the silver-haired pirate had grown very fond of the younger princess since they had arrived on earth. Ryo-Ohki was starting a proper diet that didn't consist solely of carrots. She now also ate assorted meats and plenty of spinach to help her strength as a ship. Washu wasn't setting the house on fire or experimenting on them as often, either, a relief to the majority of the household. Ryouko didn't really mind since Washu only wanted to test her limited power (she could easily create thirteen clones of herself and twenty-three with a bit of strain). Aside from all of these changes, Ayeka had, in Ryouko's opinion, _somehow_ gotten even more annoying.

A few weeks ago, they had finally gotten back safely to their dimension after the fiasco that was traveling through time and space. Ryouko still couldn't believe Sasami had made her fall in love with Ayeka, of all people. But at least every other dimension had been okay. The last, however, had been… it had been perfect. Just her and Tenchi traveling the world, stealing and having fun. But he hadn't thought so, he wasn't one for a life of crime and didn't want to stay in the world she had created.

If Ryouko was honest with herself—and for one of these rare moments, she was—that hurt more than him choosing Ayeka ever could. She was a pirate, someone who took and rarely gave. That kind of world is the only one that fit with her personality, the only one she knew how to be. For Tenchi to reject that… it was as if he was rejecting her and the person she was.

Sasami walked in and beamed at everyone. "Lunch is ready!" she called happily.

Ayeka and Mihoshi immediately breathed in relief at the reprieve, settling down at the table. Ryouko simply continued staring at the ceiling, seeming not to have even heard the call. Ryo-Ohki leaped onto her mistress' stomach and mewed to get her attention. Ryouko blinked and turned her attention to the cabbit in confusion. Ryo-Ohki mewed once more and Ryouko looked over to where everyone was gathering. "Oh. Is it that time already?" Ryo-Ohki nodded in affirmation. "Alright, here I come."

Standing and stretching, Ryouko teleported over to the table and accepted the bowl Sasami handed her. Simply staring down at the bowl, Ryouko sighed and pulled one of the platters to her, placing a piece of meat in it before doing the same with a few other dishes. Stirring the food about, the pirate returned to her deep thought, occasionally taking a bite of the food. The others simply spoke about what was happening with Mihoshi complaining about the amount of cleaning to be done and Kiyone reprimanding her since she often slept here.

Once lunch was finished, Sasami and Ayeka began cleaning the table, but both paused when they noticed Ryouko still sitting, her food barely touched. "Big sis?" Sasami called, gaining the pirate's attention.

"Yes, Sasami?" the silverette asked.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Both princesses watched in confusion as Ryouko glanced down at her plate before sighing.

"Guess I'm not that hungry. I'll take it to Washu and see if she wants it. Thank you, Sasami."

The entire group stared after Ryouko as she phased through the wall on her way out, still looking deep in thought. "Has anyone else noticed her acting strangely?" Kiyone inquired.

"Yeah, she's been like that for quite a while," Sasami murmured, worry in her pink eyes. "She always seems distracted."

"Maybe she's sick?" Kiyone suggested, allowing Nobuyuki to head back to work on the budget. "It would explain why she's not eating."

Sasami hugged Ryo-Ohki close, sighing. "I don't know," she whispered.

"It's probably nothing to worry about," Ayeka said loftily, carrying the dishes in her hands into the kitchen. "It'll probably pass."

Sasami and Kiyone glanced at one another, not having expected anything more from Ayeka anyway. However, the fact that Ryouko had been like this for so long was beginning to worry the both of them. Kiyone resolved to keep an eye on the pirate, lest she spiral past the point of no return. Sasami simply hoped Ryouko got better soon.

Ryouko opened the door to the laboratory without knocking, strolling through the machinery on her way to Washu's work desk. Once or twice, she even walked straight through a sparking wire without even the slightest thought to it. Coming to the work desk, Ryouko set the food down beside the scientist, startling Washu from what she was doing. Turning to Ryouko, the pinkette cocked her head at the frown on the taller woman's features.

"Here's lunch, Washu," Ryouko murmured, turning to leave.

"Thank you," Washu responded, watching Ryouko curiously. The pirate simply walked through her machinery, as if her body was on autopilot. _What's going on with her?_ the mad genius wondered. _I'll have to talk to her about it. One of these days, she might not be able to walk through something._ Turning back to her work, the scientist took a bite from the meal and continued on.

Ryouko strode through the living room and out onto the porch, passing the rest of the household without a glance. Kiyone resolved to watch her once more as she and Mihoshi left for Galaxy Police business, promising to come back once it was finished. Ryouko teleported up to the roof, laying back and staring up at the sky. _Guess I gotta put my time into something else,_ she thought, closing her eyes and letting the sun warm her face. _Wonder what I should do now…_

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 ** _First chapter done. Hope ya enjoyed this first look at Ryouko's insecurity! It only gets better from here!_**

 ** _Remember, sneak peeks and update info can be found on my tumblr, gothalbinoangel-fanfiction! I just opened commissions!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Back with another chapter for you all. Hope ya like it, alligators!_**

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Ryouko sighed as she watched everyone gather around for dinner. She really wasn't feeling very hungry right now, even if they had brought out the alcohol. She just wasn't in the mood to be around anyone at the moment. While the others were intent upon listening to Nobuyuki tell another story of Tenchi's childhood, the pirate teleported out to the hall. Glancing in, she noted that no one had seen her leave and Ryo-Ohki was curled up in Sasami's lap fast asleep. Good.

Turning, Ryouko began making her way to… somewhere. She wasn't really thinking about where she was going so much as getting away from the others. She didn't have anything against all of them, but she really just needed some time alone to think about where she was going to go from here. She knew that Galaxy Police would eventually come looking here, which might cost Mihoshi and Kiyone their jobs if she were still around, so maybe-.

Ryouko stopped as she walked into a forcefield. Even if she could become intangible, antienergy containment fields still stopped even her power. Glancing down, she found Washu staring up at her patiently. "Washu?"

"Ryouko," Washu responded calmly, crossing her arms. "You've been rather distant lately. Something up?"

"Not anything important," Ryouko told her smoothly, her face giving nothing away.

"If it weren't important, you wouldn't be thinking so hard about it," the scientist pointed out, just as unreadable as Ryouko. They could have been mirror images of each other if not for the minor differences between them.

Ryouko frowned slightly, not used to Washu prying. The genius woman was usually content letting things happen and only stepping in if someone was in the direct line of danger. It was odd for her to actually be the one to press for details in something that might not even concern her. Before the pirate could walk backward through a wall or teleport away, an annoying voice behind them made both universal criminals cringe.

"Why, Ryouko! There you are!" Both turned with matching sighs to find Ayeka walking forward, a smug grin on her face. Now Ryouko _really_ wanted to walk through something, if only to avoid this nuisance. However, as she was backing into the wall, she found she couldn't go through it. A quick look to Washu showed that the mad doctor had put a forcefield around their entire area. Leaning against the wall to cover the fact that she had been trying to go through it, Ryouko crossed her arms and waited for Ayeka to speak.

"What are you doing out here?" Ayeka inquired, smiling at the pirate. "I would have thought you would be enjoying drinks with everyone else and continuing to show Tenchi just how embarrassing you are."

"Do you mind?" Washu snapped, glaring at the princess and taking both of the other women by surprise. "We're kind of in the middle of something important, so if you could move along and make a nuisance of yourself elsewhere, it would be much appreciated."

Ayeka stared at Washu in utter shock. Despite the smaller woman keeping an even tone, it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was only five seconds away from changing Ayeka's genetic makeup in order to shut her up. Washu very rarely lost her temper, so this was definitely out of the ordinary. Coughing slightly, the princess huffed and turned. "Very well," she sniffed, attempting to save face. "I will banter later. Carry on."

Washu shook her head as Ayeka walked out of the forcefield. If she weren't also confined to it, she would have blasted the spoiled brat into a wall. Turning to Ryouko, she found the pirate looking at her with a new kind of respect. "How come you don't do that to me whenever I interrupt tender moments or whatever?" Ryouko asked curiously.

"Because whenever you do it, you know that interrupting won't cause someone to continue being unhealthy and the conversation can happen any other time. Her inexperience caused her to be unable to read the situation and it was the wrong type of conversation to interrupt." Washu took a steadying breath to compose herself. "Now, please accompany me to my lab so we can continue our talk. I don't need anyone else interfering."

Ryouko sighed and decided that there couldn't be any harm in at least humoring the tiny woman before her. Following after Washu, Ryouko was surprised when they went through the storage room door and emerged into a grassy field instead of Washu's lab. "Huh?" she murmured.

"I figured it would be better to help you relax if we weren't surrounded by intimidating machinery," Washu shrugged. "Come on, sit." The pair settled onto a blanket and stared out over the meadow. A soft wind blew their hair back, but Washu refrained from asking Ryouko anything for a few moments. She calculated the time it would take for Ryouko to begin breaking down and slowly counted down. Ryouko's eyebrows pulled together and Washu grabbed her chance.

"You haven't been eating," she said casually, staring up at the sky.

"So?" Ryouko huffed, crossing her arms.

"It's unhealthy and not like you," the pinkette responded. "You're usually very into a good meal and Sasami's cooking is as delicious as ever. What's wrong?"

"Why does something have to be wrong?" Ryouko demanded, turning furious hazel eyes on the scientist.

"Because people don't just stop eating," Washu pointed out. "You're also not as boisterous as you ordinarily would be. So, what's wrong?"

Ryouko bit her lip, turning away. No way was she spilling her guts to some know-it-all shorty with a superiority complex and a destructive streak. Ryo-Ohki didn't even know the full reason for crying out loud. A tap to her shoulder caught her attention and she partially turned to see Washu looking at her seriously.

"This is a secret-keeping dimension," the scientist explained. "Whatever is said here stays between you, me, and the flowers. It's only the two of us and this field."

Ryouko gritted her teeth together and sighed, laying back to glare up at the blue sky. "I'm just not okay with being back here, okay?" she grumbled. "I preferred my dimension."

Washu nodded in understanding. "Because it was just you and Tenchi, right?"

"And it was _me,_ " Ryouko explained. "It was what I knew how to do. Stealing, wreaking havoc, and spending time with Tenchi. It was everything I am. And he hated it."

Washu had a hunch that they were quickly getting to the crux of the matter. Saying anything now would likely cause Ryouko to become defensive. She waited patiently as Ryouko's fists curled angrily.

"He hated that dimension, the one I had created for us. He hated that he was stealing and a wanted criminal. He hated the life I led, the one I lead. Tenchi hates everything I am."

"And this is what's caused you to stop eating?" Washu asked softly, knowing a softer tone than her usual pitch was less likely to come off as condescending.

"No, of course not," Ryouko huffed sarcastically. "I don't have very good coping mechanisms, in case you hadn't noticed. Besides, I don't think it matters. It's clear he's chosen Ayeka."

"How do you figure that?" Washu took even breaths. She was unused to Ryouko showing any kind of weakness and to see the pirate as unstable as she could be without breaking into tears was tugging at her chest. She hated it when people cried.

"Why would he choose an infamous pirate when he can have a damn princess?" Ryouko growled. "He's chosen her, so there's no reason to continue seducing him."

Washu stared at Ryouko, realizing what she was saying, what she had said. "Y-you mean you're… you're _giving up?_ " Washu couldn't believe it. Ryouko was so headstrong and stubborn, so hooked on her own rules and morals that not once did Washu ever think she could give up if she wanted something badly enough. How could she have been pushed to this?

"There's a first time for everything, I guess," Ryouko shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure there's plenty of people on this planet I can come across. And Galaxy Police has yet to look for me in such a remote area of the universe. Maybe it's time for a change in scenery."

"You're going to leave?" Washu inquired, finally calming.

"Nah, probably not." The silverette was beginning to doze. "Just gonna travel for a few days, see more of the area we live in, you know."

As Ryouko slipped into slumber, Washu's mind traveled at hyperspeed, thinking of every and any way to make sure the pirate didn't stay gone. She wouldn't admit it if asked, but it was actually kind of nice to step out of the monotonous beeping of her lab to find chaos and mayhem caused by something Ryouko had done to upset Ayeka. Without that, things would be far too quiet around the house.

 _I won't stop you from taking a break to clear your thoughts, Ryouko,_ Washu thought, staring down at the pirate that had slowly become a close acquaintance. _But I'm not letting you leave behind everything you've built here. I'll be stuck in crystal for another seven hundred years before that happens._

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 ** _Ryouko's not taking being back all that well, it would seem. Maybe Washu and Ryo-Ohki can help with that. Hope you alligators enjoyed the chapter!_**

 _ **Remember, sneak peeks and update info can be found on my tumblr, gothalbinoangel-fanfiction. You can ask questions and find out more about what I'm working on. And I just opened commissions, too!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Big decisions happening for Ryouko in this chapter. Take a look._**

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Over the next few days, Ryouko spent time in the lab. Washu let her be, knowing the pirate just wanted to get away from everyone to think clearly. Instead of prying further, Washu went about her experiments, being more meticulous than usual so Ryouko wasn't interrupted. Occasionally, Ryo-Ohki would join then, sitting on Washu's head as the scientist went about her business.

"She seems to have taken a liking to you," Ryouko said one afternoon, lounging on some box-shaped contraption as Washu bustled around her lab.

"I think it's just the soft hair," the genius responded calmly. "Really, she just likes being here at all."

Ryouko huffed. "Yeah, would suck if GP found us now."

"She'd be devastated if she were forced to leave Sasami behind," Washu agreed, carefully oiling the cogs of one of the machines. Internally, she wondered if this would help Ryouko's ultimate decision. With any luck, knowing how upset someone close to her would be if they left would convince Ryouko to stay.

The pirate made no response and Washu let the conversation drop.

Days later, Ryouko made up her mind. Gathering what little she owned, the pirate packed them into a sack. Naturally, she needed to do this while the rest of the family was asleep. If they knew, at least some of them would try to stop her. Speaking of those who would try to stop her...

Ryo-Ohki mewed up at Ryouko, large hazel eyes staring into those of her mistress. Ryouko sighed and patted her head, sparing her a gentle smile. "Now none of that." She ordered, scratching the large floppy ears. "So long as you're here I have a reason to come back, don't I?" Ryo-Ohki mewed softly at that.

"Washu told me that you don't want to leave Sasami. Is that true?" Ryouko watched the cabbit closely, spotting the signs of indecision in her trusted ship. "See? So if you stay here, it guarantees that you get to see Sasami and it also gives me a reason to come back here so that you don't have to leave her permanently."

Her ship mewed up at her worriedly and Ryouko sighed. She'd known the question had been coming. "Ryo-Ohki, you know I can't go anywhere in space without you. We're partners, you and I. I won't fly from the earth, I promise." She stroked the brown-furred head gently. "I promise I won't ever leave you behind."

Ryo-Ohki stared up at her for a moment before nodding with a mew. "Good girl. Now, be sure to keep everyone safe while I'm gone, okay? It shouldn't be any more than a few months. A year at most. Deal?"

Once the cabbit nodded in response, Ryouko gave her one last smile before hoisting her small bag over her shoulder and floating upward. With a wave, she phased through the roof and took off. A frown settled over her lips as she wondered what she was going to do now. But she just really needed to get away for a while.

Back in the house, Washu had watched the entire exchange with her head bowed. She had made sure to cloak herself so that Ryouko thought everyone else was asleep, but this only served to make the scientist sad that she hadn't bothered saying goodbye to the pirate.

 _No!_ she told herself. _No goodbyes. She's not going to be gone forever. I'll see her again. And if she decides to break her promise to Ryo-Ohki, I'll just build an invention to find her so we can bring her back ourselves._ Nodding to herself, Washu walked over and placed a hand on Ryo-Ohki's head. The cabbit was watching the ceiling with tears in her eyes and she glanced over at Washu's touch.

"I'm going to miss her too," the pinkette told her softly. "Why don't I make us some fried carrots? It'll cheer you up a little."

Ryo-Ohki mewed in the form of a sigh and nodded, following Washu to the kitchen. As the mad genius began frying up the carrots, the house began waking around them. First up was Sasami, ready to cook a nice breakfast for the household. She started in surprise to find not only Ryo-Ohki but also Washu up before her.

"Good morning, you two!" the younger princess chirped, walking over to pet the cabbit. Ryo-Ohki offered a half-hearted mew in response and Sasami hummed in confusion. "Is something wrong, Ryo-Ohki?"

"You'll find out soon enough, Sasami," Washu sighed, bringing the plate of steamed and fried carrots over to the despairing ship. Ryo-Ohki stared at the carrots sadly for a moment before nibbling on one of them. With a soft sigh, she shook her head up at Washu and the scientist nodded in understanding. Sasami watched the interaction with interest, but decided to heed Washu's words and get a start on breakfast.

Next up was Nobuyuki. He grinned at them all as he made his morning coffee and read the newspaper. Not sensing anything out of the ordinary, he didn't even notice Ryo-Ohki's lack of argument when he began eating the carrots she had left alone. This only served to worry Sasami more, though.

Ayeka and Tenchi awoke about the same time. Bidding each other good morning, the pair made their way down the stairs to the scent of breakfast well under way. Sasami waved at them both with a grin as she flipped some omelets. "Breakfast will be finished in a few minutes," she called.

"Should I wake Ryouko from her beam?" Tenchi asked.

"Probably best!" the blunette responded, stirring something on the stove.

Tenchi sighed and moved over to the beam that Ryouko frequently lounged or slept on. Glancing up, he was confused when he didn't find her on there, no sign of a hair or tail in sight. "That's strange," he murmured. "Ryouko's not on her beam and she's not on the couch. Where could she be so early in the morning?"

Ryo-Ohki burst into renewed tears and Washu rubbed her back soothingly. The entire house stared at them for a moment and Washu sighed heavily. "Ryouko… left."

"WHAT?" Everyone shouted, staring at Washu incredulously.

"She's gone. She left this morning. She's traveling around the earth from what I know of her plans."

There was a beat of silence before Ayeka leaped into the air jubilantly. "Yay!" she cheered. "She's gone! She's finally gone! Oh, what wonderful news to wake up to. The pirate that's caused us nothing but trouble is finally gone from our lives. We should throw a party!"

"She can't have left!" Sasami cried, large magenta eyes on Washu. "Ryo-Ohki's still here! Ryouko would _never_ leave her behind!"

"Maybe she didn't want the animal holding her back!" Ayeka chirped, still rejoicing.

"Ryo-Ohki is her promise to return," Washu said nonchalantly, her eye twitching at Ayeka's celebration. "So long as Ryo-Ohki is here, she's coming back here as well. She promised not to leave Ryo-Ohki behind."

The Jurai crown princess paused in her cheering to stare at Washu. "She's coming back?"

"In a year or so," the scientist responded, not looking at her.

"Oh, well, I suppose all good things do come to an end eventually," Ayeka sighed as she sat back down at the table. "At least we'll finally have some peace and quiet around here now, though."

"Good morning, everyone!" A call made them all turn to find Kiyone and Mihoshi walking forward. "We hope you don't mind if we join you for breakfast," Kiyone chuckled.

"Not at all," Ayeka told them. "There's wonderful news for us to share."

Mihoshi perked up. "News?" she asked, immediately beginning to fill her plate.

"It seems Ryouko has left," Tenchi told them. "She's gone off around the earth or something."

"Is that safe?" Kiyone inquired worriedly. "You sound awfully calm, but what if she causes trouble around the planet?"

"Let the authorities handle her recklessness," Ayeka shrugged.

Kiyone's eye twitched. "We _are_ the authorities in this sector," the officer reminded her. "But why would she leave? This is kind of sudden."

"Who cares?" the purple haired princess snickered. "So long as she's not bothering us, I see nothing wrong with this development."

"And what if she decided to go off into space for a month or two and rob one of Jurai's federal banks?" Kiyone deadpanned. Washu was glad that she wasn't the only one irritated with Ayeka's attitude, even if Kiyone was just upset at the princess' lack of concern.

Which just flew right out the window.

Ayeka gasped at the sudden prospect, realizing that, without Ryo-Ohki, there actually wasn't a way to track Ryouko. And since the pirate was much harder to hit in person than in a spaceship, her family's army and Galaxy Police would both have a hard time apprehending her. Not to mention her penchant for teleporting, which would make it even harder to catch her.

Pink eyes widened in horror as the various prospects swirled around her head. "You're right! She's so much harder to catch now that she's not riding in Ryo-Ohki! We must get her back and force her to take this ship with her!"

"But Ryo-Ohki likes it here!" Sasami pointed out. "It would be unfair to make her leave. Especially if Ryouko's already going to come back anyway."

"But Sasami, do you know the damage that woman could do when not being monitored by her level-headed ship? She could throw the entire galaxy into uproar without breaking a sweat."

"Ayeka's right," Washu said, sipping some tea nonchalantly. "We're not even entirely certain of Ryouko's full power. She could be able to teleport lightyears away from where she started off. And she could use one of her clones as a decoy while she got away. There's no end to the possibilities. But I suppose that since she left, we'll just have to wait and see. Right, Ayeka?"

"Are you crazy?" Ayeka demanded. "We must get her back here!"

"But you wanted to celebrate her departure," Nobuyuki pointed out. "Now you don't like that she left?"

The violet-haired princess rounded on him and growled, "Not when I suddenly realize that she could have some hidden agenda rather than just simply doing what she wants!"

Washu stirred her rice a bit and shrugged. "There's no way to track her down without Ryo-Ohki, so you're a little out of luck there, Princess."

"But can't you invent something that tracks her life energy or biological makeup or… _eye color?_ " Ayeka asked exasperatedly.

"Probably, but I don't feel like it right now." Washu watched Ayeka turn bright red and she picked up Ryo-Ohki calmly. "Well, I'll see you all later. There's probably something I can do with Ryo-Ohki to cheer her up."

Leaving the sputtering princess behind, Washu headed into her lab, shutting the door with finality. Ryo-Ohki moved to her shoulder as Washu rubbed her chest with a sigh. The ship watched her in confusion and the scientist gave her a reassuring smile. "It's nothing. Come on, I think I can find some calming herbs from a different planet that may help you."

Ryo-Ohki mewed and allowed Washu to carry her to the main console. Meanwhile, Ayeka was fuming out in the dining area as the rest of the house went about their meals. Kiyone was munching contentedly, having gotten her point across to Ayeka.

Tenchi wondered what had made Ryouko leave so suddenly, as he didn't notice anything wrong happening with her. Had this been a spur of the moment thing? Or was something wrong that he hadn't even seen? He considered Ryouko a best friend, so if there was something wrong, he wished he could have reached out to help her instead of allowing her to deal on her own.

Everyone else simply ate, perplexed with the motive behind Ryouko's sudden disappearance, but knowing the pirate could handle herself put most of them at ease. The only real problem would be keeping Ayeka calm while Ryouko was away. This would be quite the year.

* * *

 ** _Ryouko won't stay gone forever, promise. And Washu is already feeling the effects of her absence. Next chapter is the household getting along without our dear pirate. Stick_ _around!_**

 ** _Remember, sneak peeks and updates are available on my tumblr, gothalbinoangel-fanfiction. Where you can also ask questions. And I just opened up commissions, too! Now, on to the next chapter!_ _  
_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Ryouko has gone off into Japan. Let's see how she and everyone else are faring without her being at the house._**

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Ryouko floated along the skies, watching the people below. She was currently overhead of a large city area, lit signs and speeding cars as far as the eye could see. People bustled along the sidewalks, going about their daily business and Ryouko wondered what they had to do.

It had been five months since she left the Masaki household and she often wondered how everyone was getting along. She knew that Ryo-Ohki constantly descended into sadness because of her link with her ship. Ayeka no doubt thought she was never coming back. Ryouko rolled her eyes at the thought and amused herself with imagining the princess' reaction to her return. Everyone else, though, remained a mystery. She had no way of knowing how they'd reacted when she left and therefore how they'd react when she returned.

The dilemma of when to return occasionally swirled around Ryouko's mind. She didn't _want_ to go back because that would mean facing the reality that Tenchi had chosen Ayeka and there was no place for her in the household anymore. However, Ryouko missed the rest of the family. She missed seeing Tenchi off to school, getting a meal from Sasami, and listening to Kiyone tell Mihoshi off for something or other. It was lonely not hearing Grampa Masaki spout his frequent wisdom or listening to Nobuyuki complain about work or even being startled by an explosion from Washu's lab.

That last one usually made Ryouko stop thinking about the household. She hadn't forgotten Washu's kindness to her in the last few days before she left. The universal genius had been the only one concerned about her enough to ask what was going on. None of the others even seemed to notice, though Ryouko knew that Kiyone and Grampa Masaki probably had. But it was _Washu_ that talked to her about it. And that caused more conflict in Ryouko than she generally wanted to admit.

The scientific genius had no reason to care about her, after all. Why would Washu concern herself with Ryouko when Washu tended to be the most standoffish of them all? The pinkette constantly made it clear that the 'chemical processes in the brain triggered by external stimulus' a.k.a. _emotions_ were not her forte and she didn't enjoy them in the slightest. If that were true, why did she go out of her way to be nice to Ryouko of all people? Ryouko had attacked her so many times since she was released from that crystal… did Washu not care about the pirate's destructive nature at all? Her hot temper had to keep Washu at a distance, right?

The questions all swirled within Ryouko's mind and made her head hurt. None of it made sense. There had to be something she was missing and that irritated the silverette beyond belief. Instead of dwelling on it, Ryouko usually pushed the thoughts of the household away altogether. She just… couldn't deal with the questions and conflictions.

With a sigh, Ryouko looked once more to the people below. She had traveled a little further than she'd told Washu she would, but at least she'd stayed in Japan. The thought of heading out into space for a bit had crossed her mind, but she'd promised Ryo-Ohki. Rolling her eyes at how well her ship had her master wrapped around her tiny paw, Ryouko continued on her way.

Back in the mountains, the Masaki household began to wake for another day. The months without Ryouko made everyone in the family uneasy at first. Everything was much quieter without her there to banter with Ayeka. It fell on Mihoshi and Washu to make the most noise in the house. Unfortunately, Mihoshi gradually got a little better about not breaking things and Washu hadn't blown up an experiment since Ryouko departed. That second one made the others in the household suspect she only blew things up to remind them all of her presence.

Everyone grew used to not having Ryouko in the house. Sasami prepared extra carrots for Ryo-Ohki each morning to help the little ship's depression while Tenchi gradually became accustomed to not being greeted with a teleportation hug. Ayeka had no one to yell at about, well, _anything_ , and Kiyone and Mihoshi went about their work as usual. The only one whose behavior drastically changed apart from Ryo-Ohki was Washu. The tiny scientist kept to herself more often, rarely coming out of her lab when there was someone else in the main part of the house. It baffled the rest of the household for the genius to cut herself off so completely.

Tenchi groaned as he awoke, stretching to pop his joints. Glancing to the calendar as he had become used to doing, he took note that five months had passed since Ryouko's departure. Even though so much time had passed, Tenchi still couldn't fathom why Ryouko left. He considered her a best friend, after all. Why hadn't she consulted him before going? His mind occasionally tossed out that the problem involved him in some way, but Tenchi shook it away before he could dwell on it.

Sasami hummed as she cooked breakfast, passing a carrot to Ryo-Ohki. The ship mewed in thanks and chowed into her favorite food. She had brightened a bit with time, confident that Ryouko would return to her. She hadn't sensed her partner far enough to be in space, so she knew Ryouko hadn't broken her promise. All that was left was to wait. So, Ryo-Ohki chewed her carrots and went about her days as regularly as she could.

Mihoshi and Kiyone strode through the door, calling, "Hey, Sasami, good morning!"

"Good morning, Kiyone! Morning, Mihoshi!" The blue-haired princess beamed at the officers as they sat themselves at the table.

"I hope you don't mind us eating here this morning," Kiyone murmured. "We don't get our next paycheck until tomorrow."

"You know it's no problem," Sasami chirped. "It's always nice to have everyone together in the morning."

Mihoshi drew random shapes on the table as she responded, "And you're cooking is always the best."

"I'm just thankful we've managed to keep this job as long as we have," Kiyone sighed. "Who would've thought that all we needed Mihoshi to do was talk to a crowd of people? I wait tables and she's a comedy act. Could've been so much worse."

"I'm glad I can finally do something right!" Mihoshi cheered, hugging Kiyone excitedly. "The customers don't even mind when I accidentally spill their drinks!"

Kiyone's eye twitched. She actually tended to keep extra drinks nearby for those instances. She shoves one in the patron's hand before they can even think to complain. _Quick thinking saving us as always,_ she thought tiredly.

Tenchi moved down the stairs and Sasami held out his lunch and a wrapped breakfast. "Thanks, Sasami," the teen chuckled. "You're the best!" He hurried out the door as Washu emerged from her lab.

"Washu!" Sasami cheered. "Do you want anything special? Breakfast is almost ready if you want to take some to your lab!"

"No, that's fine, Sasami," the tiny genius murmured. "I'm fine eating with everyone this morning."

Ryo-Ohki perked up at the sight of Washu. The pinkette was the only one to be as upset over Ryouko's departure as herself. Leaping into the scientist's arms, the little cabbit nuzzled her head into Washu's chin.

The genius chuckled as she scratched the carrot-lover's head. "Good morning, Ryo-Ohki. Feeling alright?" Ryo-Ohki mewed in response before looking up at Washu questioningly. "Yeah, I'm okay."

The remaining family gathered together for breakfast, Ayeka humming a little tune as she did. "I can't believe it's already been five months," she chuckled, digging into her rice. "It's so nice having a quiet atmosphere. No explosions, stench of alcohol, or ridiculous outbursts. Just all of us enjoying a quiet life with one another."

Ryo-Ohki mewed sadly and Washu chuckled. "I know," the pinkette whispered. "Dull, isn't it?" The small cabbit mewed in agreement and chewed her carrots as Washu continued scratching her ears between bites of food.

The others slowly filtered off to do their own thing, with the officers heading to work while the princesses went about their chores. Washu watched the house move around her, absently stroking Ryo-Ohki's head. The little ship made no complaint as she was also lost in thought. As the last of the dishes were cleared from the table, Washu sighed and stood. Placing Ryo-Ohki on her favorite spot atop Sasami's head, the genius made her way to her lab, calling a quick thank you to the blue-haired princess.

Settling at her computer unit, Washu stared at the holographic screen listlessly. The main experiment she had focused on while Ryouko was away had finished up the previous month, so Washu had nothing to focus on while she waited for the pirate's return. That was a lie, of course. She always had something to put her concentration into, but her mind was too jumbled with mixed emotions and confusions for her to fully commit to her work. So, Washu was left to stare at her screen in boredom and wonder about Ryouko's return.

 _I hope you come back soon, Ryouko,_ she thought dully. _It's so boring without you around._

* * *

 ** _Alright! Ryouko's been gone long enough, I think. Time for her to return home!_**

 ** _Remember, updates and sneak peeks are available on my tumblr, gothalbinoangel-fanfiction. I just recently opened commissions, too!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Ryouko's returned home. Let's see how her return is received by the rest of the household, and even more importantly, Washu and little Ryo-Ohki!_**

* * *

Ryouko took a deep breath as she prepared herself. It had been half a year, so it would be stupid to assume things hadn't changed. How did they get along without her? Did they prefer it without her around to destroy things and make noise? She already knew that Tenchi preferred Ayeka, but what about the others? Did they like the quieter atmosphere to her presence? The thoughts alone made Ryouko want to turn around and not look back. However, she had a promise to uphold and there wasn't much else she could do with herself now.

Taking a deep breath, Ryouko strode into the house. It was nearing breakfast time, if her memory served right. That meant everyone would be waking soon. The space pirate briefly wondered if she should float to her ledge and surprise them, but she doubted any of them actually checked up there anymore. No, perhaps putting on some cartoons would clue them in? But Mihoshi did the same, and who knows if she's still around at this hour.

Ryouko sighed. This would be pretty difficult. Maybe she should just come back when everyone was already awake and about the house. After all, it's not like there'd be that much of a commotion about her coming back. She hadn't been gone _that_ long.

Nodding to herself, Ryouko turned around, ready to head back out until the others awoke. She gasped in surprise to find two pairs of eyes watching from right behind her. Golden hazel stared into emerald for a brief second before a ball of fur launched itself at the silverette. Floppy ears flattened to her head, Ryo-Ohki mewed and cried as she hugged her master after spending months apart.

Ryouko chuckled nervously and reached up to scratch at her ship's ears. "Hey, Ryo-Ohki, I missed you, too. And look, didn't even go into space. Kept my promise and everything." Several loud mews and more head rubs were her only response.

"It's good to see you back again, Ryouko," Washu said. She didn't bother keeping her voice down, as Ryo-Ohki was making enough noise to wake the house. "It's been too quiet without you here. We've missed you very much."

The space pirate smiled lopsidedly at the little genius. "Well, ya know, thought everyone needed a break, including me. Didn't realize how boring it was out there in the world without you all, though. Guess I won't be going on anymore alone trips anytime soon." Washu replied with a small, knowing smile.

By this point, Ryo-Ohki's cries had filtered to the upstairs and the ever-attentive Sasami shot up in bed. Her sleep-addled mind didn't have time to process whether or not the cabbit was in danger or excited, so Sasami simply hurried out of her room and down the stairs. Rounding the corner as she rubbed her eye, Sasami found herself stopped by a strong pair of hands.

"Careful there, kiddo," a familiar voice told her affectionately. "Running with socks on could get you hurt, ya know. And then Ryo-Ohki won't shut up about it until you're better."

Amethyst eyes lifted quickly and a beaming smile lit Sasami's face as she found a pair of haughty golden eyes gazing down at her. "R-Ryouko!" she cheered, throwing her arms around the taller woman. "Ryouko, I've missed you! It's so good to see you back again!"

Washu watched as Ryouko's eyes widened just slightly before her expression relaxed and she returned Sasami's hug. The genius shook her head in amusement. Of course Ryouko would be hesitant to come back if she thought no one would miss her. It was her whole reason for leaving in the first place.

"What's all the fuss?" Nobuyuki yawned, trudging into the room. He paused when he took in a familiar face. "Ryouko, you're back! It's about time! I was wondering when we'd get some excitement again."

"Excitement?" Ryouko inquired.

Nobuyuki shrugged. "Yeah, you know. I was starting to miss the arguments and explosions. It is far too quiet around here without you. And you give Tenchi a good workout fixing the place up, too!" Both of them shared a laugh as the father of the house turned and began getting ready for work.

Ryouko turned to the others as Ryo-Ohki hopped onto Sasami's shoulder. The younger of the two Juraian princesses stared up at the former pirate hopefully. "You're back for good now, right?" Sasami inquired. "It hasn't been the same without you, Ryouko. It's too… quiet."

"Sasami's right," Washu agreed. "I haven't blown anything up in a while and Mihoshi has gotten _marginally_ less clumsy. It's practically silent in this house."

"Well, I guess I'll have to liven things up a bit," Ryouko chuckled, ruffling Sasami's hair. "Can't have ya dyin' of boredom this young, eh, kiddo?"

Ryo-Ohki mewed happily and Sasami turned for the kitchen, a beaming smile lighting her face. Ryouko leaned against the beam her ledge connected to and she watched Washu curiously. The scientist simply stared back calmly, neither of them saying a word. Ryouko wondered why Washu of all people was always the one there when needed. The genius had spoken to her before she left, and had been one of the first to greet her upon arrival. What was Washu playing at?

"It's good to have you back, Ryouko," Washu repeated softly, making her way toward her lab. "I've got some cleaning up to do. I expect to see you at breakfast?"

"Of course!" Ryouko smirked. "I've definitely missed Sasami's cooking." Washu gave a soft chuckle before disappearing into her lab.

Ryouko watched the lab door for a moment longer before settling at the table, leaning back to stare at the ceiling. Had anything actually changed since she'd been gone? The others said it was quieter, but was that really all?

"Good morning, Sasami!" a loud voice called. Ryouko looked up to find Mihoshi and Kiyone walking through the door. Both paused at the sight of her. Ryouko braced herself, but was surprised when Mihoshi launched herself forward.

"Ryouko!" the ditzy officer cheered. "You're back! Now I don't have to be quiet all the time anymore!"

Kiyone sighed and pulled her partner up. "Good to see you, Ryouko," she said, shooting a smile to the former pirate. "We've been waiting for you to return. You gave Ayeka quite the heart attack when you left."

Well, _this_ was news. "I did?" Ryouko inquired.

"Yeah!" Mihoshi laughed. "She thought you were gonna commit all kinds of crime out in space."

"Without Ryo-Ohki, you're harder to catch," Kiyone added. "So, neither the Juraian military nor Galaxy Police would've been able to catch you. Ayeka was a mess."

Ryouko laughed. "Damn, I should've done that. Would've loved to have seen the look on the princess' face. Ah well, missed my chance."

Kiyone's ears twitched at this. "Does that mean you're not going out anymore?" she asked. "Worries about our jobs aside, we really did miss having you around."

"I'm back to stay," Ryouko told her with a small sigh. "Ryo-Ohki would probably tie me to the beam if she thought I was going to leave again."

Kiyone gave her another smile and the trio settled down for idle chitchat. Kiyone filled Ryouko in on what had happened on her and Mihoshi's end since she left. Ryouko watched the fatigue play in Kiyone's eyes as she talked about _finally_ holding a stable job. Must not have been easy working with Mihoshi.

"Good morning, everyone!" Tenchi called, bounding down the stairs. Sasami placed his lunch on the counter and he grabbed it up swiftly, heading for the door. Before he made it, though, he froze and slowly turned back around. Dark brown eyes fell on Ryouko and the silver-haired woman gave a lazy wave.

Tenchi dropped his lunch.

"Ryouko, when did you get back?" he asked softly, a grin spreading over his lips.

"Just this morning," Ryouko responded, standing to greet him. "Ryo-Ohki and Washu were the only ones awake at the time. "

"It's good to see you," Tenchi murmured. "You're looking well."

Ryouko laughed. "And you're looking late."

Tenchi's eyes widened and he scooped up his lunch quickly. "I've gotta get to school, but we can catch up when I get home, right?"

"Sounds like a plan," Ryouko agreed, watching as Tenchi booked it out of the house. Returning to the table, she found Kiyone and Mihoshi staring at her, slack-jawed. "What?"

"Well, uh, I mean, you just, you know…" Kiyone covered Mihoshi's mouth and said, "You just had a regular conversation with Tenchi, without flirting or anything. Are you feeling okay?"

Ryouko scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, I feel fine. I figured it would be awkward if I just jumped right back into that, you know? So, I figured a simple hello would be fine."

"That makes sense!" Mihoshi agreed with a nod. Kiyone looked Ryouko over once more, wondering just how much had changed for Ryouko to have a _regular_ conversation with Tenchi.

At last, the final resident of the house strode into view, yawning daintily. "Good morning, everyone," Ayeka called calmly, smile in place as she descended the stairs. That same smile fell when she caught sight of Ryouko sitting at the table with the others. "Oh, Ryouko. You're back. No new infractions on your record, I assume?"

"None that you'll know about this soon, Princess," Ryouko smirked, chuckling at the widening of Ayeka's eyes.

"Mark me, Ryouko, if you caused more uproar for the kingdom, I'll report you, myself!" Ryouko stood to meet the princess.

"And how would you feel, throwing your own friends to the wolves like that?" she inquired. Now _this_ , she'd definitely missed. "After all, it's Kiyone and Mihoshi who would have to deal with me, and I'd hate to get them demoted as officers." Kiyone's eyes widened in horror and Mihoshi whimpered pitifully.

Ayeka gritted her teeth, but Ryouko wasn't finished. "And aren't you hiding out from your family, too? It would be such a shame if they found out where their precious princess had been hiding and decided to bring her back to the big, fancy palace."

Amethyst eyes were slits, so Ryouko decided to wrap this up. "Plus, you'd be responsible for ripping Ryo-Ohki away from Sasami, and you don't want to have to live with that guilt, now do ya, princess?"

"You're insufferable!" Ayeka finally huffed, settling at the table. "Still, I had better not hear any word of trouble out in the kingdom."

"Relax, Ayeka," Ryouko shrugged, leaning back in her seat. "I made a promise to Ryo-Ohki not to go into space. She would've let ya know if I'd gone and broken it."

"Oh." Ayeka blinked before turning to the kitchen where Sasami and Ryo-Ohki were just finishing up the food. "Well, I suppose you have a point there."

The lab door opened as Sasami brought the breakfast platters out to the table. Washu sat down between Mihoshi and Ryouko, glancing around. "I heard yelling. Figured Ayeka had finally woken up."

"Yes, well, no one informed me that Ryouko had returned," the crown princess muttered. "I was taken by surprise."

Washu gave a single nod. She'd probably expected that answer. "So everyone knows now, I take it?" she asked Ryouko.

"Yup." Ryouko dug into her food immediately. "Kiyone and Mihoshi came in little after you left, then Tenchi came down, and Ayeka was a slowpoke getting down here, as usual."

Ignoring the grumbling of one affronted princess, Washu cocked her head. "You saw Tenchi? I didn't hear any shouting from him."

"We just talked a minute and then he went to school," Ryouko shrugged. "Didn't have time to flirt."

Ayeka, Sasami, Ryo-Ohki, and Washu all stared at her in shock. Ryo-Ohki's carrot slipped from her paws as she gaped at her master. Ryouko shifted under their gazes and she grunted, "What?"

"I just never expected _you_ of all people to be able to hold a regular conversation at all," Ayeka spoke up. "Least of all with _Lord Tenchi._ "

"Are you sick?" Sasami asked worriedly.

"Relax, I'm fine," Ryouko waved them off. "I just thought it'd be weird to jump into that immediately, without a proper hello. It's not that big a deal."

Slowly, the others went back to their food, shooting her odd looks as they did. It was an odd change for them to accept, but they had to admit that half an earth year did tend to change someone. Washu tapped her chin contemplatively, chewing her food idly as she shot furtive glances to the woman beside her. Maybe… this could prove to make things more interesting.

* * *

 ** _There we go! Clearly, there's something different between Ryouko and Tenchi. More on that in chapters to come!  
_**

 ** _Remember, updates and sneak peeks are available on my tumblr, gothalbinoangel-fanfiction. I recently opened commissions!_**


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